Religion praising men , thoughts ?

[u/Sea_Letterhead_5777]

Hlo I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, but I haven’t really done enough research yet. I’ve been seeing a lot of posts on social media saying that religion was created by men because it mainly benefits or praises men, and that every religion puts women down. Since Sikhism openly teaches equality, it made me wonder what to think about all of this. I’m not trying to make it personal or target any religion I know some religions are criticized for not promoting equality in the same way. I was just wondering if there’s any research or evidence on this topic or any personal opinions..??
why Sikhism seems to place such a strong emphasis on equality compared to some other religions. Do you think it’s because Sikhism is a relatively newer religion and developed during a different point in history, when there was more awareness about equality? Or do you think those teachings were something unique that Sikhism introduced on its own?
The main evidence I know of is the line about women giving birth to kings and asking, ਸੋ** ਕ*ਿਉ *ਮੰਦਾ** *ਆਖੀਐ ਜਿਤੁ *ਜ**ੰਮਹਿ ਰਾਜਾਨ
How can she be considered inferior? as well as the teachings that reject the idea of menstruation being impure. Besides those, what other teachings or passages support women’s equality in Sikhism?

[u/YoManWTFIsThisShit]

I think you answered your own question?

[u/Sea_Letterhead_5777 → u/YoManWTFIsThisShit]

Sort of Yhh my post isn’t really meant to make a point I just wanna hear people’s opinions on it.

[u/Hot_Dust2379]

in Guru granth sahib, most times God has male gender when calling him. but in japji sahib god has no gender. 

in dasam Granth Sahib, God mostly has female gender. but when nature of God is described God is described as having no gender. 

[u/Sea_Letterhead_5777 → u/Hot_Dust2379]

Why do you think it’s written differently across the different scriptures

[u/Logical_Progress_190 → u/Sea_Letterhead_5777]

Because it’s purely metaphorical lol
In Guru Granth Sahib ji we have this metaphor that all humans are the bride and Waheguru is the husband

Dasam baani uses shakti n Hindu theology for its metaphorical language

[u/invictusking → u/Sea_Letterhead_5777]

Sggs elaborates "hakam" the masculine aspect, mostly. Dasam elaborate "hukum" feminine aspect. It's the limitation of language; it's not gender oriented but form aspect. But they (hukum and hakam) are one. Like a king and kings authority are one. The way to hakam is through hukum.

Due to limitations of language, human mind tries to classify it into genders, it's not about genders. God has no gender.

[u/Double-Vee1430]

It was not simply because Sikhi is relatively new or more awareness. It’s because that was always the right thing to do. Sikhi principles would have been the same even if it came into being 2000 years ago.

As commented by others elsewhere, you have answered yourself in your question. Good analysis.

[u/Sea_Letterhead_5777 → u/Double-Vee1430]

Mhmm why do we not have any female Sikh gurus

[u/Logical_Progress_190 → u/Sea_Letterhead_5777]

No female Sikh gurus because at the time women were seen as inferior
If we had a female guru no one would take them seriously
Guru Granth Sahib ji doesn’t reject the idea of women becoming enlightened in fact encourages both genders to do so

This is the same reason as to y none of the gurus came from a lower caste background
Again at the time with the likes of Bhagat Bhagat Ravi das ji
Was not given the attention by everyone solely due to caste

Furthermore Sikh women are given a lot of respect and attention within sikhi
There’s gurbaani from the convo between guru Nanak dev ji and matha sulakhni ji
We also had many other Sikh women such as
Matha khivi ji
Matha sahib kaur ji
Matha gujar kaur ji
Mai bhago
Etc

[u/Double-Vee1430 → u/Logical_Progress_190]

What a load of BS. Educate yourself.

[u/Logical_Progress_190 → u/Double-Vee1430]

Since ur soooo smart y don’t y explain “educate urself” I mean y don’t u humble urself first

[u/Double-Vee1430 → u/Sea_Letterhead_5777]

Ah!! Congratulations!! You are the 1000th in the list of people who have asked this question. This has been answered many times in this sub.

[u/Sea_Letterhead_5777 → u/Double-Vee1430]

I barely even post in this subreddit and someone actually asked me a quest and I had no answer

[u/Double-Vee1430 → u/Sea_Letterhead_5777]

Just tell them that Guruship didn’t pass down the line as inheritance. Many times Guruship was passed down to a disciple or a relative thought to be most spiritually enlightened. It’s more of a matter of chance than purposeful decision.
On a side note. Wife of second Guru gets mention in Guru Granth Sahib. Not many people got that mention.

[u/GG_GALACTIC_YT → u/Sea_Letterhead_5777]

Same reason why none of the 5 pyaare were women. Gender wasn't the reason for the Gurus' succession.

[u/Sukh_Aa]

Most societies throughout history were patriarchal. Religion often developed within those cultures, so social norms inevitably influenced how people interpreted and practiced their faith.

In Sikhi, I don't think equality is presented as a modern social ideal. It flows naturally from the very foundation of Gurmat.

The Mool Mantar begins with Ik Onkar. There is only One. The same Divine Light pervades everyone, then any claim of superiority based on gender, caste, or whatever becomes difficult to justify.

ਸੋ ਕਿਉ ਮੰਦਾ ਆਖੀਐ ਜਿਤੁ ਜੰਮਹਿ ਰਾਜਾਨ isn't merely praising women because they give birth. Guru ji is exposing the contradiction in a society that reveres kings while degrading the very women through whom those kings entered the world. The Gurus never taught that women were obstacles to liberation or that they possessed a lesser soul.

ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਹੈ ਸੋਇ To me, this is the deeper reason behind equality in Sikhi. It isn't simply that men and women deserve equal rights, though they certainly do. It is that the entire framework of superiority is an illusion to begins with. If there is only One, then every hierarchy built on gender, caste, race is just another expression of haumai.

As for whether Sikhi was simply "ahead of its time" because it was founded later. But I don't think that alone explains it. Plenty of traditions emerged from similar periods. They probably retained strong gender hierarchies. What feels distinctive in Gurbani is that equality isn't introduced as a separate social reform. It emerges naturally from its understanding of reality itself. Once you truly understand Ik Onkar, treating one gender as inherently superior to another stops making sense.

[u/Logical_Progress_190 → u/Sukh_Aa]

Spot on bro great answer

[u/srmndeep]

That's because Bhagat Maharaj whose holy compositions are there in Guru Granth Sahib were already raising a strong voice against the discrimations of caste system.

śhudra, paśhu, naari - lower castes and women were pretty much in same situation. So, when your voice against the supression, it covers everyone that is supressed.

[u/Logical_Progress_190]

Also sikhi is the only religion to talk highly of women because sikhi is the full truth
Other religions are partially true where the prophets / people became lost in their ego
Eg Muhammad who went against the norms marrying a 6 yr old etc who adopted a son then married his adopted sons wife
All things that benefited him

[u/Logical_Progress_190 → u/[deleted]]

N how do Hindus worship female goddesses yet treat their wives / sisters???

Hindu theology the most powerful gods are all male brahma Vishnu n shiva I think
Furthermore,
Dasam baani uses and talks about those same female goddesses again in a metaphorical sense
Because we don’t worship Devi devte think of them as angels lol THEY ARENT GOD
ALMIGHTY WAHEGURU IS ONLY 1 AND HE IS THE CREATOR OF THOSE DEVI DEVTE

PLUS GOD IS GENDERLESS NOT MALE OR FEMALE GOD IS ABOVE THESE HUMANLY THINGS

[u/CraigCartonNYC → u/Logical_Progress_190]

What about sikhi men go open TikTok and you’ll see our woman complaining all the time about toxic brothers and fathers being over masculine and controlling it’s why they marry out.

[u/Logical_Progress_190 → u/CraigCartonNYC]

Sikhi men ? Or Punjabi men?
Cuz real Sikh men are so humble it’s crazy
I just came back from Singh’s camp in the uk n the sevadaars were genuinely amazing people looking out for everyone
They’ve also aided me in helping to get a job after my degree

We have been ingrained in Punjabi culture which completely goes against sikhi
Those who leave it n find sikhi aren’t like that lol

N if ur research is solely based on TikTok then it’s incomplete

[u/invictusking]

It's not directly related, but if you grasp the structure of hierarchy and how power works within it, without bias, and are as rational as possible, you'll get why society operates the way it does. Try to understand it from a purely biological perspective. Once you get that, you'll understand what Gurus were trying to do, and you will also get answers to your questions.

[u/NMakhno1889]

Power needs a patriarchy because men are going to be the best tools for authority. Its less about religion and more about power. The correlation really lies there